


Persuasion (unofficial name)

by CiwTheDinosaur



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bad Pick-Up Lines, BeTwEen wHo? Mystery., Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Bottom Lance (Voltron), Eventual Smut, F/M, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) Has ADHD, Lance is too cute damnit, M/M, Multi, Posessive Keith, Posessive Lotor, Top Keith (Voltron), We need more of that plz, Will add more as the story progresses?, god I miss space dad, season two spoilers, what else do i tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2018-09-21 05:51:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9534422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CiwTheDinosaur/pseuds/CiwTheDinosaur
Summary: Sure, Lance didn't blame the Princess for her outburst. Her best Paladin was missing, too many things were going haywire within the ship, Slav was the best at angering people. It really wasn't her fault for snapping at him-- In fact, he understood it so much that he simply answered with a dejected 'Yes, Princess' before leaving. He could hear Hunk's gentle voice echoing through the open door before it slid shut, cutting off however he was soothing Allura and instead allowed his solemn steps to echo.Lance just wanted to go home.______Lance is caught amongst not only his insecurities, but the growing tension between himself, Keith, and an odd Galran Prince by the name of Lotor.((I fuckin suck at summaries but I hope y'all like this))





	1. Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta read but I go through it a lot and fix shit so hopefully it's good if not we can all cry together

"You expect us to _what_?"

"- Hunk, please listen before cutting me off," Allura warned with a pointed glance, before sighing and returned to the holographic map that was brought up in the room, though had been condensed to fit between them all, "As I was saying, we're to go to _Sephrikks_ , an unclaimed planet that thankfully has little to no visits from the Galra. The citizens are quite nice, a bit too friendly and don't quite understand personal space, though try not to scare them off-- They're very sensitive to negative emotions, so please, let's all be in good moods before we land."

"Princess, excuse me for butting in again, but you said we were meeting who there?" Hunk once again pestered, watching Allura's face twist in displeasure.

"... Unfortunately, we must meet with a Galran. This... This man is part Altean, and from all the knowledge Coran, Pidge and I could gather, he seems to be a neutral party. If we can convince him to join forces with us, we'll have a greater chance at not only finishing off the Galra who still choose to fight, but finding Shiro..." The mood dropped, silence hanging heavily over the seven-- _Slav_ \-- in the room. It wasn't until Coran stepped in to break it, his cheeriness doing good to mask all of their dismay over the - temporary- loss.

"Alright, Paladins! The Galran we're to meet today goes by the name of Prince Lotor. Don't worry, though! Just because he's Zarkon's son, doesn't mean we should fret about it too much! Due to not being a pure-blood, he's considered a bastard among his kind, so we don't have to worry about him being heavily guarded!" The wide eyes Coran recieved deterred the male none, "We sent out a disguised request to meet, so should he reject or attempt to back-track the transmission, he won't be able to! You can all thank Pidge for that."

The little green bastard smirked.

"Princess, you really don't think meeting with this guy is going to do us any good, do you?" Keith buttered on his own opinion, "I understand he's 'neutral' or whatever, but he's still a Prince-- Don't you think that gives him more of a reason to stay true to the Galra Empire?"

Allura's look could kill, making the Red paladin back down a bit, though his shoulders attempted to stay square. Well, until she spoke. "You of all people should understand that there are _some_ good Galra, Keith. I can assure, this plan of action most definitely isn't one I'm fond of, but we're on shaky grounds right now. We're currently out a Black Paladin, have no leadway to where he may be, and I can only do so much to help pilot a lion as well as man the ship. Regardless of complaints, we're going."

There were a few heavy moments of silence, pregnant with unspoken words, though most knew what wanted to be said. The Blue Paladin hefted off an elongated sigh, taking a step closer to properly join the circle, a lazy finger spinning the hologram before looking to the Princess. "So, we go to some planet, meet this Prince Lotor dude, and then what? What do we do if he planned an attack, or chooses not to accept?"

Lance could have regretted asking. The next two hours were used devising all sorts of different plans in the case that things turned sour, as well as what would happen if Lotor actually agreed to help them. Numerous times Hunk and Pidge ran in and out of the room to gather new parts as they thought of certain machines they could make to help aid their mission, while Allura and Keith practically bickered most of the time, Slav screaming about how almost all of the plans had higher death rates then successful ones. Coran was piloting the ship for headway towards _Sephrikks_ , and Lance? Was silently off to the side, hands on his hips and a foot tapping the ground repetitively in annoyance.

Any attempt to speak, to add in his own oppinion of how he thought different outcomes would be, or any bright evasion plans he had we're all brushed off with a 'not now, Lance' or 'Could you go grab everyone a juice pouch?'. To put it simply, his ego was deflating and he was beyond frustrated, all but throwing the juices at everyone before taking the last, shoving it hard against Keith's chest. Of course, it fucking broke.

"What the hell, Lance?!"

"Lance!" Allura jumped in quickly, all eyes in the room wide and staring at the Blue and Red Paladin (Lance, of course, recieving glares while Keith got pitied looks for his now-wet outfit). Before an apology could stumble out of the Cuban's mouth, Allura's rage quickly pressed through his weak volume, "You've been nothing but disruptive, Lance! We're working hard to locate Shiro and put an end to this war, and now you're complicating things further by attacking Keith! In fact, I shall no longer tolerate your misbehavior. Please see to it that you're past level four in the training room, or at least calmed before I see you again. Now _go_."

Sure, Lance didn't blame the Princess for her outburst. Her best Paladin was missing, too many things were going haywire within the ship, Slav was the best at angering people. It really wasn't her fault for snapping at him-- In fact, he understood it so much that he simply answered with a dejected 'Yes, Princess' before leaving. He could hear Hunk's gentle voice echoing through the open door before it slid shut, cutting off however he was soothing Allura and instead allowed his solemn steps to echo.

Lance just wanted to go home.

________________________

A day later, and they'd reached _Sephrikks_ , and bluntly said: Things were tense. Lance's show was practically forgotten, but that was probably thanks to Slav, who was now locked out of the control room until further notice. With all Paladins dressed in their gear, only three people were instructed to go down: Keith, Allura, and Lance. Why Lance? Because even the Princess gave him credit for being good with people, though was strictly told not to flirt with any of the population.

Upon landing in a small escape shuttle that they'd chosen (not wanting to risk the lions), Lance decided it'd be easy to not woo anyone, considering the population looked like... Like snails? It was kind of cute, though. Definitely lightened his mood. Stepping out was met with cheers from the people(?), Lance giving a wave and grin before, elegantly, falling flat on his face.

"Lance?" Called Keith, who stepped out afterward and nearly met the same fate, "Why's the ground so slippery?"

" _That would be due to the fact that they're snails, Keith_," Came Hunk's voice through the comm, who snickered lightly alongside Pidge, " _Y'know how they leave a substance after they move around? It's pretty much that, but like, way thicker since they're larger than a snail. They go to about mid-calve, right?_ "

Lance had pushed himself up to his knees, not fully standing as a few of the _Sphiil_ (apparently what the snail-people are called) were already crowding him. They were somewhat like dogs, pushing under Lance's hands to be pet, which only made the Cuban give off some laughter. He made sure to rub gently rather than scratch, not wanting to accidentally harm anyone-- though thank god for his gloves, they were already covered in slime that he surely didn't want covering his hands.

"They seem to quite like you, Paladin of Blue."

"Yeah, I guess they kinda- _wait a dang momento_ , who are-?"

Allura gasped as Keith's bayard was activated, said male standing in preparation to attack as the three looked to the figure just a few feet behind Lance. "Princess, he didn't show up as a heat signature! Be wary, there are larger signatures showing out by the treeline, though they seem stationary!" Came Coran's voice through the comms. The man-- assumedly Prince Lotor-- gave a soft smile and lifted his hands.

"I assure, my men shall not harm any of you. They're simply watching from afar to assure my safety. Paladin of Red, I suggest putting that away-- You're scaring the _Sphiil_." Lotor's voice was low and smooth, lowering his hands and stepped closer only once before bowing, "Princess Allura of Altea, it's an honor to meet you on neutral grounds."

With obvious reluctance, Allura's stance turned from hostile to diplomatic, clearing her throat and squared her shoulders. "The feeling is reciprocated, Prince Lotor. However, I shall say in advanced that any suspicious movement from either you or your guards will result in violence. I truly hope it does not come to that."

"Rest assured, I have already warned my men that shall any of them attack, it will result in immediate execution. I solely wish to meet on good terms, and have gone as far as to arrange us a small meal to discuss over. Although I'd enjoy if everyone could gather for such a meeting, I fully understand if you'd prefer keeping the rest of your crew where they are."

"I totally hate butting into this, but can I get a little help? Someone?" Lance called awkwardly, only his hand seen from beneath a pile of _Sphiil_. Keith and Allura were stuck beside the ship as it was the only thing keeping them steady, and with Lance blind beneath the scared _Sphiil_ (thanks, Keith), Lotor stepped closer without hesitance, pulling the Paladin out from the snail-pile (who all seemed to giggle as they fell a short distance, cute little freaks).

Once standing and steady, Lance reached up to pull off his helmet, shaking out his hair before grinning up to the Prince. "Thanks, man. They totally grossed up my gear though-- Princess, do we have any wipes? Er, like, spatulas to get all this goop off?"

Well there goes his concerns for his helmet. Lotor's forefinger and thumb carefully grasped Lance's chin, turning the male's head so they were looking at one another. "Such colourful eyes, beautifully dark, flawless skin..." Woah, what was this guy saying? "You're by far the most entrancing thing I've ever laid my eyes on."

What in the heck.

"Wait... Me? Have you _seen_ Allura?" And no, Lance was not blushing, the planet was simply hot and his face was showing it. That's it (false, the planet had low, wet temperatures, otherwise the _Sphiil_ would shrivel up and die).

"She does not encase such mesmerizing beauty as yourself, Paladin of Blue."

" _Oh my god, is Prince Lotor hitting on Lance_?"

"Shut up, Pidge. No offense, _Prince_ , but we have more important things to discuss than Lance's..." Keith paused, glancing at the tanned male and offered an awkward, "Unyeilding beauty..?"

"Jealous, Keith?" Came the cocky response most were anticipating, blue and purple eyes meeting to glare at one another, though Lance's was accompanied with an annoying amount of pride. "You got your whole Galra-Shmalra show, now it's time for the main act and his- how did you put it? Unyeilding beauty?"

Deep laughter had eyes turning back to the Prince, who had a hand on Lance's waist to keep said teen steady, while the other held his own stomach. It was... Kind of enduring, how innocent his laughter was. His eyes moved back to Lance, a smile on his lips and moved to cup the Paladin's cheek. "I quite enjoy you, Paladin of Blue. Or, shall you grant me the honor, may I address you as Lance?"

Now was not the time to lose face. Sure, it wasn't a common occurrence that people flirted with him, but he knew his way around the moments someone had. Usually they weren't a Prince, or unbelievably fucking attractive, but he could totally make it work. He was Lance, after all-- The sharpshooter. Could totally shoot his way into anyone's heart.

" _He broke Lance_ ," Hunk's sigh was barely heard from the helmet snug under his arm, the Cuban quickly shaking his head at the smirking Lotor. " _Lance, did you just tell him no?_ "

"Sorry, Fabio. That's something you'll have to work for, you feel me?" What in the heck was Lance saying. He was originally going to go with 'You can call me anything you want, baby', but Hunk was totally jerking his game; not even in a good way.

"... Who is this 'Fabio' you speak of? My name is Lotor, Prince of-"

"It's an Earth thing, don't worry about it. Anyway, you said something about food, right?"

"How are you all to walk, Paladin of Blue?"

Great question. Pidge was quick to respond, their voice small thanks to the distance his helmet was from their ears, " _No need to worry about that! We took into consideration that the planet has all smooth, flat surfaces, and installed grips in the bottom of your boots for that. The button is at the heel, you just need to hold it for three seconds for it to activate._ "

Allura and Keith easily activated theirs, testing the waters with a few careful steps, though luckily found themselves stabilized. "Well gee, that's cool Pidge, but I don't have it?" Lance complained, one hand grasping Lotor's shoulder (eep) while the other prodded at his own heel in frustration.

It was silent for a few moments after that, though Allura took the lead and responded. "Lance, due to your behavior yesterday, you were not present when the advancements had been made... We'll be sure to accommodate for it once we return to the ship-"

"But we had all of last night to do it. That, and no one bothered to ask for my gear," To say he was offended wouldn't be wrong, per se. Everything's been stressful, he knew mistakes like this would happen, but... It didn't exactly make him feel better about himself, nor did it solidify whether he was even needed as the Blue Paladin.

Was he..? Sure, Shiro once said he was their sharpshooter, but other than that? He's never been vital to the team other than forming Voltron. He doesn't have epic skills, his astonishing looks and impeccable people skills doesn't take him far against the Galra, and quite frankly? He's told more often than not he's being bothersome, or annoying. No biggie, they forgot him. It was understandable, and easily forgiven.

Though Lotor caught how Lance's dejected expression said otherwise.


	2. Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Paladin's discover some cool things about the planet they're currently stationary on, as well as some... Troubling news about Lotor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight I know this one's pretty short but like I wrote it all last night and today I was super psyched to get the second chapter out, especially with all of this amazing feedback!!
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy! (:

Lance now knew how Shiro felt.

Alright, that may be an overstatement, but he genuinely felt his arms were going to fall off. Five whole minutes of being yanked back and forth, head lolling each direction as he was now thoroughly bored with the situation. It was literally over who got to help Lance walk, and if he was being honest? He didn't care. Food was on his mind, and with the growl of his stomach, he finally snatched his arms away and barely managed to keep balance.

"That's enough!" Allura growled before Lance could speak, taking a moment to glare at Keith and Lotor, who dared to have sheepish grins (more Lotor than Keith) despite their troublesome actions, "I shall be the one to carry Lance, no arguments about it! Now, Lotor. If you'll lead the way, I'm sure we could all use a few moments to settle down with a meal."

Now, both boys could have argued, but against Allura? Not even Lotor had such a death wish. So, with great reluctance from the two bickering males, Lance found himself being cradled in Allura's arms as the Prince lead them towards the restaurant(? Lance wasn't actually sure where they were being led, but he assumed it was where they'd eat).

It was pretty hot. Y'know, being carried by the Princess. Lance went as far was squeezing her biceps, giving an elongated 'oooooh' and giggle. "No wonder Shiro digs you so much-- You think you could carry him, too?"

"I've thrown him across a room before, Lance, I'm sure he wouldn't be hard to carry," Damn, was Allura being smug? "And I could throw you much farther, so I'd suggest you quit fondling my arms."

"Can you blame me? Like, you have thin arms, but so much muscle? It's like a scientific mystery. Pidge!"

_"Sup?"_

"When we're done with this mission, conduct an experiment on Allura and find out what her secrets are. You've got to be on something to get these babies."

_"Actually, I've been wanting to do something similar to that. I wanted to see whether your DNA changes when you morph to look like other species? I mean, it wouldn't be unfathomable considering you're an alien, but it still wouldn't-"_

"Anyway! Enough Pidge talk, how 'bout you tell us about yourself, Lotor?" Lance offered, wiggling his brows when the Prince looked back at him, "I mean, you're supposed to be a neutral party or something, right? Why's that?"

"I never quite agreed with my father's ways, Paladin of Blue. _'Weakness is an infection, better to cut it off than to let it spread'_ was his motto of sorts, and to have seen so many Galra unjustly executed for simply having emotions... It was not pleasant, to say the least. It never ended there. He subjected his own people to mating, aiming to breed the strongest warriors, to become the ultimate race. And, while that in itself isn't an uncommon wish, his means of gaining such 'respect' were horrid-- and I haven't even described the worst of it."

"Who's to say you're any different from Zarkon? Yeah, you've been neutral, but he's dead now. Don't you want revenge or something?" Keith stabbed his way into the conversation, once again giving Lance a reason to sock the asshole in the face when they trained together next.

"Believe what you'd like. I see no gain in explaining myself to you, _Keith_. Paladin of Blue, would you do me the honor of sitting beside myself?" The way Lotor completely blew Keith off was kind of amazing, watching _Sphiil_ squirm away from the mullet as an angry red covered the male's cheeks. Prince Lotor gestured to the-- woah.

They had reached a garden of sorts, the plants around them quite literally buzzing in excitement at the arrival of the four, the _Sphiil_ giving eager chirps and trills back at the living organisms. It wasn't that there was a table, but an elegantly curved, impossibly thick vine that barreled out of the ground, only to dive back in just a few feet away, creating what, _technically_ , was a table. The chairs were even more amazing, only forming when the _Sphiil_ gave off a trill as a group, more like a... A hum, all giving off the same pitch that gave a warm, electric buzz to the air. With that, a few flowers around the 'table' grew, spiraling a bit as if to showcase the amazing feat of growing, strengthening to be able to carry their weight.

Lance's chair was a sunflower.

So there they were, Lance and Lotor on one side, Keith and Allura on the other (Keith and Lance were not kicking each other under the table, Lance's legs were just long and Keith was just trying to get comfortable). There were a few moments of tension, probably feeling awkward more than anything, though Lotor rested an assuring hand on Lance's knee, a soft smile presented that honestly did a lot to calm the Blue Paladin's nerves. Weird. "I'm sure you will find yourself enjoying the creation of meals on this planet. Allow yourself to think of what you crave most, and the _Warlsh_ will deliver."

Lance was skeptical. He gave the Prince a half-amused grin, rolling his eyes before closing them, allowing himself to recall the taste of Pizza and Garlic Knots-- though they were specifically from the pizza shack along Varadero beach. That got him to thinking of the welcoming laps of the ocean, how blue and enlightening it was, making even those who couldn't swim feel at home. Then he thought of his family, how his siblings would scream with joy to run out at those inviting waves, the sun above them and only glorified their lovely, tanned skin. Everything was beautiful-- His family, Varadero, Earth...

Lance _really_ wanted to go home.

The heavy sense of homesickness much have been affecting the _Sphiil_ , who were giving off small mewls, squirming uncomfortably around Lance to make him feel better. His eyes followed a particularly small one, that began making the struggle of climbing up his leg. With gentle laughter, the Cuban picked the small creature up, setting it in his lap and used his thumb to rub at it's neck. It practically purred.

"You truly have a talent for attracting those who have an eye for true beauty. Though, Paladin of Blue, you have not been watching. Look," Lotor urged, directing the teen's attention to the table. Before him sat a small seed, round like a pearl, though had the visual texture of a tree. Careful fingers plucked it up, allowing it to roll in his palm before looking to the Prince questioningly, "Again, focus solely on what you wish to have. Once in mind, spare it a kiss, then set it down and observe."

And well, Lance did just that, giving the seed a small peck before setting it on the vine-table. In the matter of moments it began rumbling, rolling a little before jumping into the air (like popcorn, honestly). With a blink and small 'plat' sound, Lance discovered before him an actual.... Holy shit, there was an actual pizza in front of him. How? And oh god, were those garlic knots? He could have cried, but why do that when he could eat?

It was pizza, something he hadn't dreamed he'd ever get again until they returned to earth (if they ever returned). He had to blink a few more times, jaw hanging as a peeled off his gloves and set them aside. If he could touch it... Oh god, he could, it was real! "No way, dude," He breathed, genuinely astonished and looked around, finding the same expression on Keith's face, "Did you see that?"

"How is... How is that possible? There's no way that's _actually_ pizza, is there?"

"Keith, this is the pizziest pizza I have ever seen and if you don't use your seed right now, I'm gunna take it. Hunk dude, no worries, I'm totally saving some for you! You too, Pidge, if you want any!"

_"Awe, thanks Lance! B-But... Man, I'm really hungry... Allura, can't we come down? They haven't attacked yet, and honestly I doubt they will. That Lotor dude actually seems pretty chill."_

To say Allura was offended would be an understatement. It showed on her face, how she glared at her helmet that had been set on the table as if it was the cause for her father's death. However, diplomacy came before her own feelings, and she quickly cleared her throat and sat up straighter. "Hunk, I'm sure you're aware I'd be much happier if you and Pidge remained stationary. We'll do what we can to bring the rest of you meals, understood?"

_"Yes, Princess..."_

"Now, Prince Lotor," The name seemed strained coming from Allura, discomfort obvious as she spoke, "As you're aware of your father's passing, I'm certain you're enlightened that there are still Galra who will fight. From what you previously stated, you do not support Zarkon's ideals, and that leads me to believe you'd want to fight against the cruelty he created. Would you... Would you assist us in gaining peace for those who have been enslaved, who lost their lives, and for the planets that have suffered?"

The Prince seemed to take a moment away from watching Lance scourge down his pizza to face the Princess, though the sigh he released was not assuring. "Dearest Allura, it has been ten thousand years since the Galra have earned their name. Need I remind you, it's been _ten thousand years_. Surely, you don't believe there was no plan in place for if Zarkon were to die." The Princess paled, which now caught the two Paladin's attentions, who reluctantly pulled away from their food (Keith got Thai), "Had I been contacted before his demise, I may have accepted, though now there are complications-- Obligations I must see to."

"And what exactly are your 'obligations'?" Inquired a suspicious Keith, who's hand now hovered over his bayard, eyes slitted as he observed the Prince.

Lotor chuckled, taking his seed and placed a kiss to it with closed eyes before setting it back down. After it jumped up, it landed back down as an elegant, blue rose, though had a curved stinger of sorts coming front the center of sleek petals. Biting the tip off, Lotor began to suck a liquid of sorts from it, doing a swell job at ignoring Keith's question. "Paladin of Blue, would you like to try some? It's a very unique plant, each colour giving off a different flavour. Blue has stubbornly been my favourite ever since I was young."

Hell, it made Pizza taste utterly amazing, Lance didn't doubt the seed's ability to create some weird flower-drink. So, with a shrug, Lance leant over to the offered 'straw' and took a drink, pulling back with wide eyes and large grin. "It tastes like chocolate! Like, the chocolate from those gold coins-- Y'know the ones I'm talking about, Hunk?"

_"Lance, I love you dude, but quit teasing me with all this food, since the Princess is being a meanie and won't let us come down..."_

Lotor frowned, looking slightly dejected as his long, slim ears tilted back. "Is that your lover, Paladin of Blue?"

"Hunk? No way, man, that's my best friend! We're like, platonic soulmates if you catch my drift. Why, you goin' after my Hunk? He's got a cute rock girl, my dude, so I can't permit that."

 _"He was flirting with you two seconds ago, Lance, do you really think he's after a guy he hasn't seen?"_ Butted in Pidge, who was a logical piece of shit and reminded Lance that /oh yeah/, Lotor had totally been checking him out earlier.

"O-Oh..! Yeah, w-well I mean, who /wouldn't/ flirt with Lance the Man?" Where in the hell did his confidence go and why would it abandon him in such a crucial moment? "Anyway! You said there's complications or something for why you can't help us, right? Why's that?"

The Prince gave an almost pained smile to the Cuban, reaching a careful hand over to rub sharp, though gentle nails through soft, brown locks. "If you must know, my _Quírl_ , I regret to share with you that as Zarkon's heir, I am now the Emperor of the Galra."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quírl - Sweet
> 
> Again, feedback is always welcome!! I love hearing how everyone likes the story, character developments, or how you may think things will play out!!
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading, I promise Chapter Three will be longer!


	3. Drama Alert.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some questions are asked, and some are answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I sincerely hope they aren't OOC or, idk, things aren't progressing too quickly? Obviously things won't actually spur on as fast as they're made out to be, but XD Idk, just enjoy! I don't want to spout off none sense. I'm excited to get started on the next chapter!

Things progressed quickly after Lotor spoke, and not in a good way. Keith had activated his Bayard, Allura looked about ready to rip the Prince's head off, and the _Sphiil_ were squirming towards Lance like waves in the ocean. Why? Because the Blue Paladin wasn't reacting negatively, doing his best to calm the poor creatures while the others bickered. He would interject in a minute, but... That was something he needed to process, too.

"You're the _Emperor_?!" Keith growled, stance completely ready to strike down the taller half-breed. Yeah, Lotor was... Was a fucking tree, but that didn't mean he was stronger or faster than him. Keith was the swiftest paladin, and with how often he trains, his combat abilities were close to being on par with Shiro's. Hell yeah, he could take this guy down.

" _The Sphiil are delicate creatures, Keith! If under too much negative pressure, they'll quite literally combust!_ " Coran warned through the comms, the three stationary members watching worriedly from the hidden cameras they installed in Allura's and Keith's helmets. Maybe it was good Lance hadn't gotten the advancements, as there were some things they needed to keep secret-- And Lance? Had a bit of a filter problem, and would probably spout off all of their abilities in an attempt to show off.

"Keith, calm down! We're not here to put anyone in danger, especially those who are innocent!"

"Allura, he's the _Emperor_! If we can take him down now, that's one step closer to putting a complete stop to the Galra empire!"

Lotor chuckled at Keith's insistence, sweeping his long, white hair over one shoulder, tilting his head to bare the light purple skin of his neck to the Paladin. "If you believe you can defeat me on your lonesome, please attempt to do so. Not only would violence cause a majority of the population on _Sephrikks_ to implode, but in the case that I die, someone far worse than myself will take charge. However, I certainly wouldn't allow myself to be slain by the hands of someone so... _Vile_."

Keith let out an enraged yell, one foot already on the table to hoist himself over and beat the bastard to a pulp, though a sharp, high screech and deafening 'pop' stopped everyone in their tracks. Lance, especially, was frozen still, standing amongst a sea of _Sphiil_ , though half of them and the Blue Paladin himself were now covered in broken shell and transparent, blue slush. Lance's eyes were wide, gawking at the now-empty spot where the poor _Sphii_ originally was, though most others were now covered with the poor creature's splattered guts.

Panic set in. The _Sphiil_ all began wailing, quickly mourning the loss of family and seemed to be racketing in fear, though Lance immediately comprehended it as 'they're going to die if I don't do something'. They just needed positive emotions, right? And who was the best as masking how they felt to make everyone else happy? Lance McClain, that's who, and he'd absolutely do it now to save the lives of the innocent community.

"Don't worry! It's okay, look at me! We're all okay!" He rushed, wiping his face clean so they could all see his grin. His hands shook as he knelt down, petting those close to him and did what he did best: Blabbered. "This planet's super cool, y'know? You could slide everywhere, it's not too cold, and the garden's amazing! Did you guys see that? It made _pizza_ , just with a kiss! That's hecka cool, right?"

While Lance attempted a diversion of sorts, guilt was quickly simmering into Keith, who's bayard deactivated itself with his lost anger. Allura was still in shock, eyes heavily trained on Lance, though so were Lotor's. Unlike the Princess, the Emperor look upon the scene with a sense of pride for how quick the Beauty seemed to dismantle the situation, taking silent strides over and was sure not to harm any _Sphiil_ while walking through them.

"Get away from him," Keith's hoarse voice demanded through clenched teeth, watching with a murderous glare as the Prince came to a stop. He still had half a mind to run over and take down the bastard for good, though the hand from Allura that had found his shoulder reluctantly kept him in place, "And tell your goons to back the fuck off, before you have more to worry about than flirting with Lance."

"You're very persistent, _Keith_. They're simply prepared to defend their Emperor in the case that danger arises. They have not attacked, so I see no reason to call off their worries. Especially when you still seem to look at me with such a defying glint in your eyes. I have already stated no harm shall come to any of you, least of all would I harm the one who holds my interest," Lotor smirked at that, sparing a glance to the Blue Paladin, though felt his lips tug downward momentarily. Lance looked pale, his words that were supposed to soothe the _Sphiil_ seeming to not work on himself-- And were his eyes watery? Lotor didn't at all like the idea of Lance crying, yet at the same time, he had no doubt the Cuban would look magnificent. "I suggest you calm yourself, Paladin of Red, before you cause any further misfortune."

"Allura, maybe Keith should switch places with Hunk or Pidge," Lance suggested, voice quiet as he did his best to pet everyone equally, though it was hard to get to those further out. Despite worrying over the _Sphiil_ , he brought his gaze up to meet Keith's, shaking his head and glared in the slighted. "Lotor's right, he's just gunna make more people die-"

"You're seriously taking his side? What, because he threw some pretty words at you? He's the Emperor now, Lance, maybe you should get your head out of your ass and put your priorities in place," Keith was seething, practically seeing red and clenched his fists at his sides. Why weren't people seeing his side of things? Lotor was being an asshole, and has given no reason for any of them to trust them. Yeah, he hadn't attacked yet, but that's just it: Yet.

"Keith! That's enough. I understand you're upset, but you're putting far too many lives at risk for it to be justified. I suggest you calm down, or I'll be inclined to send you back. You're not proving yourself to be the leader of Voltron."

Those words stuck. Keith pulled away from Allura's grip, looking at her with an unidentifiable emotion before giving a curt nod. "I'll calm down," He assured, taking another glance at Lance and Lotor before moving back quite a few steps. Betrayal was an easy concept to Keith, he's been through it too many times to count, but not even he expected Allura to say such a thing. He had only told _her_ what Shiro said about wanting him to be leader, and they'd come to an agreement that it'd be kept private until the time came. Who knew Allura could be an asshole?

Keith wasn't too far from the others, still able to see them if he looked behind his shoulder and hear them if they were loud enough, but distanced so they were separated. "Patience," Keith breathed out, closing his eyes and tilted his head back, helmet loosely hanging from his fingertips, "Yields focus... You never said this would be hard, Shiro. I'm not ready to be a leader, I-I don't even want to be. You're the head of Voltron, just... We just need to find you."

" _You look like a lunatic, talking to yourself like that_ ," Came Pidge's ever-welcomed voice, earning a groan of both embarrassment and annoyance from Keith. " _I don't... I don't really know what's happening, but I trust this team, and I trust Shiro. If he wants you to lead Voltron, then I support that_."

Keith could have laughed, though settled with an unamused snort, "You're kidding me. Did you not see what just happened? It just- just exploded, Pidge. If I can't even calm myself down enough to save someone when it matters, why the hell should I lead Voltron?"

"I'm wondering quite the same," Lotor's voice added in from behind Keith, making the paladin snap around, whole body on edge as he held back from attacking. It was like an animalistic urge, clawing at him to tear the alien bastard to shreds. "Not to worry, I do not wish to fight. The graceful one requested that I apologize to you, and while I cannot do that, I agreed to come to equal terms."

"And how the hell do you plan on doing that? I told you to stay away from Lance, you're-" Why couldn't Lotor talk to him? Why was Keith against such a thing, especially being used to Lance's boundless flirting. Maybe because it was reciprocated this time around? "Look, just back off from him."

The Emperor laughed at Keith's attempt, shaking his head and held his hands behind his back, "Your longing for the Blue Paladin is almost admirable. However, through observation, I'm inclined to say your feelings aren't reciprocated. In fact, I'd go as far as; he may hate you, considering there's the guts of the deceased on him-- Guts _you_ caused to spread."

While the mullet could have argued, his words quickly diminished as guilt rushed over him, clenching his fists and ground his teeth. "I don't like you. I don't trust you, and I don't trust that you genuinely 'like' Lance, okay? Back off from him. If you choose to assist us, you can talk to him as an ally, but for now?" A step closer, roughly jabbing his finger against the center of Lotor's chest, "Fuck off."

" _Princess, Paladins, there's an issue_!" Coran's panicked voice came, making the three on land jerk and tug on their helmets. Lotor patiently waited, though could somewhat hear and decipher what may be happening. " _There seems to be a large heat signature approaching you quickly! It's already begun to wipe out the Prince's guards_!"

It was at the same time that Lotor's wrist communicator flashed, though when audio began playing, it was filled with choked off screams and panicked " _It came out of nowhere_!"'s and " _What is that_?!". The four looked around, Lance finally standing with the same small _Sphii_ from before clinging to him. A roar from the sky disrupted whatever Allura's next commands were, the Red lion accompanied by both Hunk and Pidge, knowing they'd have to help in protecting the _Sphiil_. Lance couldn't help but to frown, not seeing either the Black or Blue lions amongst the three in the sky.

"Hunk, Pidge, get a sight of what's attacking! Keith, I'll board with you-- The Red lion can bring me to the castle quick enough, and Coran and I can provide coverage from above! This may be tough without the ability to form voltron," She sighed, shaking her head and quickly snapper her gaze to a certain Paladin, "Lance, I'd like for you to take the _Sphiil_ somewhere safe and protect them. With something like this, we need to keep them calm and avoid losing any more!"

A chorus of 'Yes, Princess' left from the four's mouths, everyone beginning to move, though Lotor quickly caught Allura's shoulder. Holding eye contact with her, he lifted his communicator and began to speak, "Forces, work together with the Voltron Paladin's to eradicate whatever beast is attacking. If I catch word that any of the Paladins or _Sphiil_ have been attack, it will result in immediate execution. We have one enemy here, do not strive from that," His hand fell, cutting communication as he released the Princess, "I'll offer my personal support by protecting the Paladin of Blue and the _Sphiil_."

"Allura, don't let hi-"

"Do not lead me to regret my decision, Prince Lotor. Shall any harm come to my friends or the _Sphiil_ , we shall not be seeing one another as neutrals."

"Of course, Princess." Agreed the Prince, releasing the Altean and geefully made his way towards the Blue Paladin. He could feel the dark glare burning into him from Keith, though was too happy to have some alone time with the gem to really care. No, he hadn't planned the attack-- But, a door opened, and Lotor was all about opportunities.

"Don't worry guys! They're just having a cool robot party, but we're gunna go have our own fun! Is there like, uh, a cave or something around here?" Lance nervously asked the _Sphiil_ , the small one chilling on his shoulder (more the armor than anything) as he attempted to lead the creatures away from danger without slipping.

"We needn't move them, Paladin of Blue. So long as we remain within this section of the garden, I can place a protective dome around us. Consider it a particle barrier, but better," The Prince chuckled, already pressing on his wrist-wear. With a pulse, a shimmering purple expanded out, solidifying from the ground up, until they were truly in a dome. However, it wasn't dark inside, simply giving a purple hue to the light that shone through. "Not only are we protected, but the particles reflect the scenery around them, so we're completely hidden."

Huh. Well, that's solved, then? Lance felt just a bit unnerved, though masked it and sat criss-crossed amongst the _Sphiil_. "Hear that? We're safe! We've got three epic lions and a whole Galra fleet protecting us, so we can all chill out!"

Chirps of glee sounded, snail-like heads bobbing and swaying in what Lance guessed to be celebration. It was cute, but the Blue Paladin's heart was pretty heavy over the unrighteousness loss that sadly took place. Did the _Sphiil_ just not care if one of their own died, or was it because they were so good at processing positive emotions that they could forget so simply?

A warm figure sat beside him, making the Cuban look over to see the fond gaze of Lotor, which holy hell-- Why was it so, so _heated_? Why did the Prince feel the need to make Lance feel all squirmy and nervous? "S-So, uh. We're just supposed to wait here? How do you know this dome-thing's gunna hold out?"

"You'll simply have to trust my judgement, Paladin of blue. If I may..?" Gloved hands came up, taking ahold of Lance's helmet to lift up, making the audio of his teammates talking through the comms all the more noticeable. However, Lance ignored it thoroughly as a hand returned, thumb gently caressing across his cheek. "There, your beauty is no longer tainted-- Though even with such a mess, you seem to fail in losing my interest."

"Th-Thanks..? Uhm, h-how about making that deal with Voltron? You help us, we help you, the universe is restored to its former glory?" Lance was struggling to talk. Was his face hot? Probably, because holy hell Lotor was totally _flirting_. Was he interested? Hell yeah, the dude was extremely hot, and his skin? Pore-less! Who wouldn't want to fawn over that? However, he felt guilty; His friends were battling while he sat uselessly, not even paying attention to the _Sphiil_ ashis eyes glued themselves to Lotor.

He was being useless again.

"There are issues that are blocking me from accepting the offer, _Quírl_ , though I will admit I'm tempted. If working together means seeing you again, I'm fairly inclined to make changes and accept the offer. However... While I'm the Emperor, I'm not the only one to wield authority. Haggar, the lead Druid, is very observant over my actions, and shall she see it fit? My rein will be cut short, in the form of an 'accident', if you understand where I'm taking this."

"She'd kill you, just because you don't want the Galra empire to be cruel anymore..?" A saddened nod had Lance pouting, "That's bogus! Can't you just, I don't know, make her leave? You're the emperor, and if the Galra are so 'true to their bloodline' or whatever, shouldn't they obey _you_?"

"... My dearest, let us stray from downing topics, the _Sphiil_ are trembling. How about you answer my questions now? By chance, are you mated? I truthfully hope not, as I cannot assure where my jealously would lead me."

"Mated? You mean like, in a relationship? Uh, n-no... I mean- This handsome face can't just belong to _one_ person, y'know? Plenty of the Lance to go around." Did his smirk even look confident anymore? Probably not, thanks to his heated cheeks giving away how flustered he was. It didn't help when Lotor grabbed his hand, pulling it to his lips and left a long, soft kiss. Yellow eyes pierced through white lashes, and Lance was pretty sure his heart stopped.

"You may not find my request reasonable, but I'm quickly becoming addicted to you; Your scent, your voice, your looks. I humbly request; Allow me to court you in the near future?"

The fuck.


	4. Y'all still wanna read this?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry for my absence but is anyone stIlL hERe?

Henlo uh ye not an official chapter cause like, does anyone still wanna read this? If y'all do I'm down to write my dudes but it not then I'd rather not be an author-poser (oops but I am) and get my hopes up that I did something okay for once /: lmao anyway lemme know and I'll hop to updating if anyone still cares for this ;) jus give me some feeback

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this isn't a shitty start. Honestly I finished up this chapter last night because I wanted to go ahead and post it, give myself more obligation to actually finish a story for once, rather than start one and never complete it.
> 
> So, with this, I hope some of you stay for this adventure! I have a lot in mind that I'm excited for, and this can /technically/ be considered an odd-take for Season Three-- though this isn't at all how I imagine it to go.
> 
> Anyway, feedback is greatly encouraged! I'd love to see how you all think of this, or whether I'm in/out of character. Not sure when I'll update next, but hopefully not too long.
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy, thanks for checking this out!


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